city in Kansas
Honey bee forage in Fort Scott, Kansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 77% of sites in Kansas. Against other Kansas sites it stands out most in spring (99th percentile) and lowest in summer (42nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.1 mi W, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.1 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Fort Scott?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 30, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Aug 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Fort Scott, from what grows within flight range (about 3.7 miles) and when it blooms here. Dates are the model's estimate for a typical year; the spring index for this spot falls on Apr 11.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, soybeans; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Soybeans: about 307 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi W, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 68 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi W, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
From USDA's crop maps for 2021–2025; fields rotate, so a crop counts by how often it was grown. Listing a field says nothing about its owner.
The land and water around Fort Scott
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi E; open water 0.26 mi N.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 79% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Fort Scott ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 84th | 96th | 72nd | 45th |
| Kansas | 77th | 99th | 42nd | 43rd |
| Central Irregular Plains | 29th | 90th | 14th | 63rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 39% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.
The national forage map around Fort Scott: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Garland 8 mi · Devon 9 mi · Redfield 10 mi · Fulton 13 mi · Arcadia 14 mi · Uniontown 15 mi
An estimate from public maps (USDA crop maps 2021–2025 averaged, LANDFIRE vegetation), not a survey of the ground. Maps can't see garden plantings, understory density, other beekeepers' hives, or this year's weather. The point is the Census Bureau's published center of Fort Scott (37.828, -94.7041); a yard a mile or two away can differ, so check your own spot. The FEMA flood map was not checked for this page. Benchmark 2026.5, built 2026-10-19. How this works · All sources.